Waqar Ahmed (21), a resident of Pali in Rajasthan, was very focused on studies initially, police said.

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NEW DELHI: With 94% marks in class X and 81 percent in class XII, few could have thought Mohammed Mahruf would end up as a terrorist. His interest in computers could have landed him a corporate job rather than in a jail. His accomplice, Mohammed Waqar scored 80% in class X and 75% in his XII examination, only to get trained in preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

These details were revealed by cops of the Delhi Police's special cell which arrested these two engineering students from Rajasthan during their operation leading to the arrest of IM's Indian operations chief Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu and Pakistani bombmaker Waqas. "Mahruf and Waqar were bright students. One of them even aspired to study at Indian Institute of Technology but they were brainwashed by IM chiefs from across the border," said a senior officer on Thursday.

Waqar Ahmed (21), a resident of Pali in Rajasthan, was very focused on studies initially, police said. To pursue his IIT dream, he even enrolled at a reputed coaching institute at Kota in Rajasthan for one year but he could not clear it following which he took admission in Global Institute of Technology in mechanical stream. Mahruf (23) also had similar credentials. His father is an executive engineer in Rajasthan Electricity Board and they have a parental house in Jhotwara, Jaipur.

"After scoring 94% and 81 % in class XII and X, he appeared for Rajasthan pre-engineering test in 2010 and got admission in Vivekanand Institute of Technology in Jaipur in Computer Science stream. He was supposed to pass out this year," the officer said. "Waqar used to frequent Pratapnagar mosque where he was persuaded by the people there to join 'Tablighi Jamat'. At one such Jamat, he met Mahruf -- who had been indoctrinated through Facebook -- and they became friends as they shared common interest in Jehad. He eventually lost interest in studies and failed in 16 papers," he said.

Waqar, police said, was looking for a suitable platform. Mahruf got him in touch with Afif who introduced him to Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal. "Riyaz told him that Muslims suffered in Gopalgarh riots in 2009 and he should do something to avenge it following which he did a reccee of Gopalgarh," he said.

Similarly, the third accused, Shaquib, met Mahruf when the latter had gone to Jodhpur for a function in December 2012. Shaquib later came to Jaipur where he spoke to Afif and Riyaz over phone and they had been in touch since. "It was in May-June 2013 that Mahruf told Waqar that Riyaz had instructed them to buy an android mobile phone for Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu, who was coming to Jaipur. They bought a MAX mobile for Rs 3000 from the local market. Shaquib bought the sim from Jodhpur," the officer said. They also arranged a two-room rented accommodation for Monu and bought some household items.

"Waqar identified himself as Haneef, Mehruf as Aftab and Tehsin Akhtar as Sahil," He said. Monu came to Jaipur but after his name was flashed in the media in connection with blasts in Patna at Narendra Modi's rally in October last year, he shifted to Jodhpur with Shaquib's help. After reports that security agencies had tracked Monu to Jodhpur, he fled to Munnar in Kerala where Waqas had been staying.

He eventually fled to Nepal and was trying to sneak into Bangladesh when he was tracked down by the special cell sleuths on Kakarbhitta border near Darjeeling.